Here's something you might be interested in.
Having grown up playing basketball, I love watching NBA games. I remember as a kid, listening to adults at the basketball courts. They would complain about the NBA. They'd say the dunk ruined the game. When the 3-Point shot was made a part of the game, they complained about that. I once said, "You guys wouldn't be happy unless they went back to using peach baskets for rims. Forget George Mikan and his goofy glasses. The NBA has dunking, which is exciting. And hard to do. And, 3-point shots. Why not be awarded an extra point for shooting from so far out?"
It would turn into a scene like at the barber shop in Coming to America, with those old guys arguing about the best boxer of all-time.
I read about two tragedies in this mornings paper, both involving NBA players I had met.
Wayman Tisdale, who had a 12-year NBA career, had part of his right leg amputated because of bone cancer. I remember a year or so ago, he fell down some stairs and broke his leg. And, they discovered the cyst in his knee that was cancerous. One of those rare stories you hear about, where an accident actually was beneficial.
I met Tisdale when he played for the Pacers, and he was doing an exhibition game at the Sports Arena. We talked a lot about basketball. And, we talked a little about music. He told me he was a bass player. I brought up bass players I knew and loved like Bootsy Collins (who, unfortunatley, just canceled his recent show at the Belly Up Tavern). He laughed and said his bass playing is more jazzy. I told him I wasn't a fan, and he laughed.
When he retired from the NBA, magazines wrote about what an amazing bassist he was. I heard some of his stuff. It was that smooth jazz that really does little for me.
The other tragedy involved Kevin Duckworth, the former Portland Trail Blazers.
He died at the age of 44.
I once met him, Terry Porter, and Clyde Drexler at a fundraising dinner. I never met a nicer group of guys.
He was a 7-footer, so talking to him while he was sitting down, was a lot more convenient.
I don't remember a thing we talked about. I just remember being surprised that a guy that was an all-star for a few years, and so big, seemed so quiet. Occasionally he and Porter seemed to joke with each other, and talk about old pranks in the locker room.
I think I was paying more attention to Clyde Drexler, who I knew would be a future Hall of Famer.
I was talking with a friend of mine that has been going through some medical situations recently. I brought up Christina Applegate recently having a double-masactomy due to breast cancer. She's in her 30s.
It's sad when anyone gets cancer or dies. But something about people under 60 that have these things happen, make it hard to read about.
Having grown up playing basketball, I love watching NBA games. I remember as a kid, listening to adults at the basketball courts. They would complain about the NBA. They'd say the dunk ruined the game. When the 3-Point shot was made a part of the game, they complained about that. I once said, "You guys wouldn't be happy unless they went back to using peach baskets for rims. Forget George Mikan and his goofy glasses. The NBA has dunking, which is exciting. And hard to do. And, 3-point shots. Why not be awarded an extra point for shooting from so far out?"
It would turn into a scene like at the barber shop in Coming to America, with those old guys arguing about the best boxer of all-time.
I read about two tragedies in this mornings paper, both involving NBA players I had met.
Wayman Tisdale, who had a 12-year NBA career, had part of his right leg amputated because of bone cancer. I remember a year or so ago, he fell down some stairs and broke his leg. And, they discovered the cyst in his knee that was cancerous. One of those rare stories you hear about, where an accident actually was beneficial.
I met Tisdale when he played for the Pacers, and he was doing an exhibition game at the Sports Arena. We talked a lot about basketball. And, we talked a little about music. He told me he was a bass player. I brought up bass players I knew and loved like Bootsy Collins (who, unfortunatley, just canceled his recent show at the Belly Up Tavern). He laughed and said his bass playing is more jazzy. I told him I wasn't a fan, and he laughed.
When he retired from the NBA, magazines wrote about what an amazing bassist he was. I heard some of his stuff. It was that smooth jazz that really does little for me.
The other tragedy involved Kevin Duckworth, the former Portland Trail Blazers.
He died at the age of 44.
I once met him, Terry Porter, and Clyde Drexler at a fundraising dinner. I never met a nicer group of guys.
He was a 7-footer, so talking to him while he was sitting down, was a lot more convenient.
I don't remember a thing we talked about. I just remember being surprised that a guy that was an all-star for a few years, and so big, seemed so quiet. Occasionally he and Porter seemed to joke with each other, and talk about old pranks in the locker room.
I think I was paying more attention to Clyde Drexler, who I knew would be a future Hall of Famer.
I was talking with a friend of mine that has been going through some medical situations recently. I brought up Christina Applegate recently having a double-masactomy due to breast cancer. She's in her 30s.
It's sad when anyone gets cancer or dies. But something about people under 60 that have these things happen, make it hard to read about.